Klarinet Archive - Posting 000469.txt from 2004/11

From: Roger Shilcock <roger.shilcock@-----.uk>
Subj: RE: [kl] silver keys
Date: Fri, 12 Nov 2004 16:27:33 -0500

I've noticed recently that sweaty fingers slip all too easily on nickel plate.
They don't on silver or on German silver.
Roger S.

In message <FJEKIMDEOJFJPBKBMDOPKEBICOAA.dnleeson@-----.net>
klarinet@-----.org writes:
> I cannot speak for the aesthetics of others on this matter, but I
> have gold plating on my basset horn not because of anything
> tactile or betterness. It is rather that I find the material
> beautiful, just as find cocobolo wood beautiful. And when I play
> on something that is (in my opinion) aesthetically beautiful, I
> think I play better.
>
> I like silver because it can be shined to a high gloss and nickel
> looks lousy (to me). I even chrome plated two clarinets because
> they always were shiny.
>
> Is it possible that one's playing is postively affect by
> aesthetic elements? I always had my fingernails manicured before
> important concerts, and for the same reason. But insofar as
> utility is concerned, the keys can be made out of black pot metal
> or cast iron (with all of its ugliness).
>
> Dan Leeson
> DNLeeson@-----.net
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Tom Flavel [mailto:tom@-----.net]On Behalf Of Tom
> Flavel
> Sent: Friday, November 12, 2004 9:55 AM
> To: klarinet@-----.org
> Subject: [kl] silver keys
>
>
> Hi,
>
> I have a question to which I've never been able to find a
> satisfactory
> answer: Why are silver (plated?) keys considered "better" than
> nickle?
> I'm struggling to see how they'd affect the sound, so I assume
> it's a
> purely tactile preference...
>
> For that matter, why are flutes made of silver? Does it produce a
> better
> tone because of the inner surface of the bore is made of silver?
>
> If so, would an ideal sax be made of silver, too? I assume brass
> is
> therfore used because a solid silver saxophone or trombone, etc,
> would
> be prohibitivley expensive (though I've seen $14k solid silver
> flutes,
> which I believe somebody was mentioning in another thread).
>
> And the thought occurs that metal clarinets and the other
> "silver" brass
> instruments must be made of nickle, then?
>
> Ok, so that was several questions :)
>
> Thanks for any input,
>
> --
> Tom
>
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Wenn die Welt erst ehrlich genug sein wird, um Kindern vor dem 15. Jahre
keinen Religionsunterricht zu erteilen, dann wird etwas von ihr zu hoffen sein.
-- Schopenhauer.

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